1. Renaissance means 'rebirth'. What was reborn and what was the source of inspiration?
The Renaissance started in Italy, where the hoped to bring about the "rebirth" of their past. The revival of Greek and Roman culture caused first Italy and then the rest of Europe to follow the model. This was a time of great discovery of the world and of man, and arts as well grew.
2. What are the approximate dates of the Renaissance Period?
About 1400-1599
3. Describe the motet as the most popular form of sacred music in the Renaissance and provide 1 example (title/composer)
A motet is a relatively short composition (words in Latin, and almost always religious - often from the Bible) made up of short sections in the styles of homophony and imitative polyphony. "Cantate Domino" by C. Monteverdi.
4. Describe the madrigal as the most popular form of secular music in the Renaissance and provide 1 example (title/composer)
A madrigal is a short composition set to a one-stanza poem (often a love poem). Usually it is sung by one singer per part, in an intimate setting. Like the motet, it is made up of short sections in the styles of homophony and imitative polyphony. "As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending" by Thomas Weelkes.
5. Name a Renaissance instrument from each family: String, Woodwind, Brass, Percussion Lute, Shawm, Cornetto,& Tabor
6. Describe two types of compositions within the Renaissance dance genre The pavan, a solemn dance in duple meter, and the galliard, a faster dance in triple meter.
7. How did technological advances effect the development of music during the Renaissance? With the invention of the printing press, music became much more accessible to common people, and more well-recorded for future generations to sing or play.
8. Comment on the rise of the middle class it relates to the music of the Renaissance. Because music was so much more available (thanks to the printing press), people were able to be more involved in music, and social music really developed because of this. Music was no longer confined to churches and nobles.
9. Listen to the following Renaissance composition and comment on musical elements including form, texture & meter:
It is pretty upbeat, in 6/8 time (I would guess). Polyphonic; madrigal. Equality between the vocalists and the instrumentalists that provide accompaniment, who get solos every once in a while.
10. Listen to the following Renaissance composition and comment on it's function & purpose:
Secular music, for a dance - a pavan & galliard.
11. Listen to the following Renaissance composition and comment on the various instruments:
Lute, violin (Viols), flute
12. Free write:
A capella, calm, almost a little sad-sounding.
13. Bonus Question: Provide three bits of trivia relating to the song "Greensleeves" The widely believed legend is that it was composed by English King Henry VIII (1491 - 1547) for his lover and future Queen, Anne Boleyn. Anne, the youngest daughter of the earl of Wiltshire, rejected Henry's attempts to seduce her. This rejection is apparently referred to in the song, when the writer's love "cast me off discourteously" One possible interpretation of the lyrics is that Lady Green Sleeves was a promiscuous young woman and perhaps a prostitute. At the time, the word "green" had sexual connotations, most notably in the phrase "a green gown", a reference to the way that grass stains might be seen on a lady's dress if she had made love outside. Traditional English folk song.
The Renaissance started in Italy, where the hoped to bring about the "rebirth" of their past. The revival of Greek and Roman culture caused first Italy and then the rest of Europe to follow the model. This was a time of great discovery of the world and of man, and arts as well grew.
2. What are the approximate dates of the Renaissance Period?
About 1400-1599
3. Describe the motet as the most popular form of sacred music in the Renaissance and provide 1 example (title/composer)
A motet is a relatively short composition (words in Latin, and almost always religious - often from the Bible) made up of short sections in the styles of homophony and imitative polyphony. "Cantate Domino" by C. Monteverdi.
4. Describe the madrigal as the most popular form of secular music in the Renaissance and provide 1 example (title/composer)
A madrigal is a short composition set to a one-stanza poem (often a love poem). Usually it is sung by one singer per part, in an intimate setting. Like the motet, it is made up of short sections in the styles of homophony and imitative polyphony. "As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending" by Thomas Weelkes.
5. Name a Renaissance instrument from each family: String, Woodwind, Brass, Percussion
Lute, Shawm, Cornetto,& Tabor
6. Describe two types of compositions within the Renaissance dance genre
The pavan, a solemn dance in duple meter, and the galliard, a faster dance in triple meter.
7. How did technological advances effect the development of music during the Renaissance?
With the invention of the printing press, music became much more accessible to common people, and more well-recorded for future generations to sing or play.
8. Comment on the rise of the middle class it relates to the music of the Renaissance.
Because music was so much more available (thanks to the printing press), people were able to be more involved in music, and social music really developed because of this. Music was no longer confined to churches and nobles.
9. Listen to the following Renaissance composition and comment on musical elements including form, texture & meter:
It is pretty upbeat, in 6/8 time (I would guess). Polyphonic; madrigal. Equality between the vocalists and the instrumentalists that provide accompaniment, who get solos every once in a while.
10. Listen to the following Renaissance composition and comment on it's function & purpose:
Secular music, for a dance - a pavan & galliard.
11. Listen to the following Renaissance composition and comment on the various instruments:
Lute, violin (Viols), flute
12. Free write:
A capella, calm, almost a little sad-sounding.
13. Bonus Question: Provide three bits of trivia relating to the song "Greensleeves"
The widely believed legend is that it was composed by English King Henry VIII (1491 - 1547) for his lover and future Queen, Anne Boleyn. Anne, the youngest daughter of the earl of Wiltshire, rejected Henry's attempts to seduce her. This rejection is apparently referred to in the song, when the writer's love "cast me off discourteously"
One possible interpretation of the lyrics is that Lady Green Sleeves was a promiscuous young woman and perhaps a prostitute. At the time, the word "green" had sexual connotations, most notably in the phrase "a green gown", a reference to the way that grass stains might be seen on a lady's dress if she had made love outside.
Traditional English folk song.